Grading machine



E. MORGAN GRADING MACHINE Dec. 6, 1938.

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Patented Dec. 6, 1938 rant OFFICE GRADING MACHINE Ervin Morgan, Itirie,Idaho Application November 1 Claim.

This invention relatesto a grading or sorting. machine, and has as itsobject the provision of a-machine of this character embodying anefficient and simple structure, and which is especially adapted forsorting or grading various kinds of small seeds such as for examplepeas, beans, corn, cucumbers and the like.

Theinvention together with its objects and advantages will be bestunderstood from a study of'the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 isa side elevational view of the machine.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the opposite side of the machine withcertain parts removed and other parts shown in section.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure2.

Figure Lisa longitudinal sectional view through the machine, the sectionbeing taken approximately on the lined-4 of Figure 5 but with thebeltbein'g' shown in edge view and the rollers in end view.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the machine.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan View with parts in section of one side ofthe frame of the machine.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary detail sectional view showing the adjustablebearing for the roller of the endless belt, the section being taken online 1--'l of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of an agitator orreciprocating plate.

Figure 9 is a perspective View of an arm forming a part of the means forreciprocating the aforementioned plate.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a stop block.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that themachine comprises an elongated frame supported adjacent each of the fourcorners thereof by legs 5 and including end members 6, l and sidemembers 8 and 9. The side members 8 and 9 have ends fitting in groovesl0 provided on the inner faces of the end members 8 and 1 as shown inFigure 5.

The side member 8 is of one single length while the side member 9comprises a pair of complemental sections 9a, being divided transverselyintermediate its ends to provide said sections. The sections 9a arehingedly connected together through the medium of a hinge II and thesides 8 and 9 are held together through the medium of a tie bolt l2, asshown, one leaf of the hinge ll being apertured to accommodate an end ofthe bolt l2 as shown in Figure 4..

Suitably mounted in the frame is an endless 1, 1935, Serial No. 47,875

conveyer comprising an endless belt l3 trained over rollers l4, l5mounted on shafts I 6 whose ends are journalled in bearing blocks 11.

Bearing blocks I l are mounted in elongated slots l8 provided in therespective opposite ends of the respective side members 8 and 9 and aresecured at the desired adjustment through the medium of suitableadjusting bolt devices I9, for taking up slack in the endless belt orapron I32 Mounted on the frame adjacent the end 1 thereof is a casinghaving sides 28 and an end 2|. Supported by this casing isa hopper 22having a discharge neck 23 that extends into and is suitably mounted inthe aforesaid casing.

Suitably mounted within the aforesaidcasing and for reciprocatingmovement transversely of the endless apron or belt I3 is an agitatorplate 24.

Plate 24 at its opposite ends has upturned flanges 25 mergingintolateral eXtensionsZfi that are accommodated in suitable slots 21provided therefor in the sides 20.

The plate 24 on one side edge is also provided With a pendant flange 28and an actuator arm 29 is provided with a flange 30 which is bolted orotherwise secured to the flange 28 of the plate 24 at one end ofthelatter.

The arm 29 has a downwardly offset end 29a that is suitably formed atits terminal to engage a ratchet wheel 38 provided on one side of apulley wheel 3| fixedly mounted on one end of the roller shaft I6 asbest shown in Figure 3. In this figure it will also be noted that arm 29works through a suitable slot 32 provided therefor in the adjacent side20 of the aforementioned casmg.

The flange extension 26 on the end of the plate 24 farthest remote fromarm 29 is in bearing engagement with a leaf spring 33 anchored at oneend to the adjacent side 9 of the frame. Spring 33 thus serves tonormally urge the arm 29a into engagement with the ratchet wheel 30 andcooperates therewith to the end that during a driving of the belt l3,plate 24 will be caused to reciprocate back and forth transversely ofthe belt l3 for agitating the seed discharging thereon from the hopper22. In this connection of course it will be understood that any suitabledrive means may be connected with the pulley 3| for driving the endlessbelt or apron l3.

A feed control plate 34, substantially semicylindrical in cross sectionis pivotally mounted above the plate 24 between the sides 20 of thecasing, through the medium of a rod 35 whose ends are journaled in thesides 20. On one end thereof the rod 35 is provided with a handle 36that is adapted to abut a stop block 31 suitably mounted on an adjacentside 20 of the aforesaid casing for limiting downward swinging movementof the feed adjuster plate 34 (see Figures 2 and 4) The operation andutility of the invention will be more apparent from the following: Theseed is placed into the hopper 22 and feeds by gravity on to the plate24. As the plate 24 reciprocates the seed thereon will be agitated andseed of a proper size will work forwardly through the space between theplate 24 and the lower edge of the feed adjuster 34 to drop on to theendless belt l3 whereby the seed is carried to the end of the device thefarthest remote from the hopper 22 and there gathered and put into asuitable receptacle. Obviously by positioning the feed plate 34relatively to the plate 24 only seed of a predetermined size willdischarge from the plate 24 onto the endless belt l3. Thus in this waythe seed may be easily and expeditiously graded by a single operation.In the event of seed larger than the space between the plate 24 and thelower edge of the plate 34 gathering behind the plate 34, saidaccumulation of comparatively large seed will be accommodated in theconcavity of the plate 34 and may be removed at intervals by theoperator.

It will be further noted that to prevent any of the seed falling off ofthe belt I3 at the sides thereof, the runs of the belt operate insuitable grooves 38 provided on the inner sides of the sides 8 and 9 asbest shown in Figure 3.

Also to remove the belt l3 all that is necessary is to loosen the tiebolt l2 whereupon the side 9 may be removed by folding the same at thehinge H to withdraw the free ends of the respective sections 9a of theside 3 out of the grooves II) in the ends 6 and 1 of the frame. Accessmay then be readily had to the belt l3 which may be easily slid sidewiseoff the rollers l4, l and a new belt quickly substituted therefor, afterwhich the side 9 can be quickly moved into place.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

The herein described grading machine comprising essentially a frame, anendless belt mounted in the frame, a drive pulley adjacent one end ofthe belt for driving the same, a casing mounted on the frame adjacentthe drive pulley and having sides in which are slots andalso having anend, a hopper supported by said casing above the conveyor and having adischarge opening in the bottom thereof facing in the direction of themovement of the belt, an agitator plate between said opening and thebelt and extending substantially the width of the belt, said agitatorplate having flanges at its ends and also having on said flanges endportions movable through said slots of the casing sides, a leaf springcarried by one side of the frame and opposed to the outer end of one ofsaid end portions, a ratchet wheel carried at the inner side of saidpulley, an arm fixed to the agitator plate and having a portion disposedin the path of the ratchet wheel teeth, a transverse shaft disposedabove and spaced from the agitator plate and J'ournaled in the sides ofsaid casing and having at one end a bent portion comprising an arm atthe outer side of the casing side, an arcuate plate extendingsubstantially the width of the agitator plate and having one of itslongitudinal edges fixedly secured to said shaft with the concaveportion of said arcuate plate facing toward the discharge opening of thehopper and the free longitudinal edge thereof spaced from the agitatorplate, said arcuate plate being substantially semi-cylindrical toprovide a substantially large concavity, and a stop carried on the outerside of one of the casing sides and disposed to contact said arm tolimit the downward swing of the free edge of the arcuate plate.

ERVIN MORGAN.

